Emergency Management

What is Emergency Management?
New Jersey state law requires every municipality and county to have a state approved Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and to appoint an Emergency Management Coordinator, who, in conjunction with their local government, is responsible for coordinating the necessary actions to protect lives and property during times of disaster and emergency. Municipalities must also appoint a Local Emergency Planning Council (LEPC) for which the coordinator serves as chairperson. All municipal departments and first responder agencies are represented on the LEPC. Cooperatively, this group develops the Emergency Operations Plan.

No matter where we live or work, emergencies and disasters are a fact of life. Natural or man made disasters can strike with little or no warning. Consequently, advanced planning for such occurrences leads to a successful reaction to an emergency situation.

The members of the various Public Safety organizations know their responsibilities and how they are expected to perform their tasks in the event of an emergency. The Phillipsburg Office of Emergency Management has an Emergency Operations Plan that has been approved by the New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management. This document is constantly reviewed, revised and tested by all municipal departments, first responder agencies and private entities such as the American Red Cross, among many others. The Office of Emergency Management serves as the coordinating agency that reduces duplication of effort and works in concert with County, State and Federal agencies to protect the citizens of Phillipsburg with a planned, capable and coordinated response to emergency situations.